Fugitive
by Clement Rage
Summary: The Last Days of Zack Fair
1. Escape

**Escape**

Fists. Feathers. Shards of glass. A breath, the first in five years. Gasps, slowing down

Zack Fair looked up.

The last Shinra soldier collapsed with a gurgle, the full weight of Buster Sword smashing ribs effortlessly. Wiping his sword in the dust, SOLDIER 1st Class Zack sank to one knee.

"What's...wrong with me today? How could I be having trouble against _these_ guys?"

A rasping laugh from a downed soldier.

"Ever fought the Shinra army before, my boy? We're not just here to look pretty and die."

"Really."

"Don't worry, you'll find out. Soon."

Buster Sword crushed her skull. No need to prolong suffering.

"We'll need to return to the mansion to regroup."

* * *

The Major stood before the board of directors, meeting their stares evenly.

"I hear we've got _another_ rogue 1st."

The President looked at him. "Be careful with your tone, Major."

"Sorry, sir."

The new Director of SOLDIER, a 1st by the name of Alexander, opened the file he carried.

"Zack Fair. One of Angeal's close confidants. He's escaped from a Shinra research facility−" behind his mask the Major flinched, "in Nibelheim. We'll take care of i−"

Tseng immediately cut in. "Pursuing fugitives is an Administrative Research prerogative. It's none of this soldier's concern."

The Executives saw the Major smile.

"Yes...and how has your success rate been lately?"

Tseng blinked. "The army takes heavy casualties at every encounter."

"We've just been standing still, we've never been given authorisation to go on the offensive before. The Turks and SOLDIER have, without success."

"Sending out a full army will not be subtle."

"Like Banora? Like Genesis' attacks on Junon? Sirs and Madam, we're still feeling repercussions from when Genesis went rogue, all of you suffered massive collateral damage on his account. We have to nip this in the bud, and I'm the best pursuit troop commander you've got."

The President met his stare. "Will you have Zack Fair's head on this table in thirty days?"

"No, sir. SOLDIERS dissolve when they die." He saw slight flinches from Executives. _This man has seen SOLDIERS die before. _"I'll have his dogtags." Murmurs.

"But...I have conditions. Whatever I ask for from any of you, I get, no arguments, no hedging. Choppers, artillery, files, Cid Highwind serving me pizza, whatever. And right now I want the security tapes from Nibelheim reactor, unedited as far as possible, and Gun Bull Heads flanking the road from Nibelheim to Cosmo Canyon. Let's make Zack nervous."

"Done. Thirty days, Major. I expect results."

"Of course, sir. And to ensure I am working professionally, I suggest representatives from both SOLDIER and the Turks to be attached to my staff in an observational capacity."

Ripples around the table. Inter departmental co-operation was a mythical monster in the Shinra terms of employment. It was hinted at here and there, but rarely seen, and never voluntarily sought out.

Heidegger stood. "A word in private, Major?"

The Major followed his direct superior into the corridor, noting the clenched fists.

"You _want _the Turks and SOLDIER on your mission?"

"Of course not, sir, but it's not like they'll leave me in peace anyway. This way, I'll know where they are. For the next thirty days, I'm going to be very powerful."

"Yes, and on Day thirty one you'll be torn to pieces."

"Such is life,sir."

"Impressive, Major. I'll do what I can to protect you_, if you succeed_. Gya ha ha!"

"...Thank you , sir."

* * *

The Major examined his Liaisons from the other departments. Both women, both probably deadly. The Turk had longish red hair and wore a Shuriken slung on the back of her infamous suit. The SOLDIER was bald, wore a scimitar, and seemed otherwise unremarkable apart from her glittery Mako Eyes.

"Well, welcome to my staff. Your names?"

"You can call me Shuriken." The Turk said, with a half smile.

"That's not a name, that's a label! I think I'll call you Red." They were going to behead him as soon as his presidential decree expired, so he might as well have some fun in the meantime.

"And you are...If you don't give me a name, I'll just call you Sparkles."

"Maggie."

"Is there a reason you shave your head?"

This time a real smile. "It was pointed out to me when I was a 2nd that no one made First Class without intriguing hair. Just letting it grow doesn't work for women, so I went the other way."

"Don't see many girls in SOLDIER."

"You have to have a certain muscle density to survive Mako infusions... There's...nine of us, I think."

"Out of how many?"

Narrowed eyes. "Why?" _Careful, aren't you?_

"Come on, the gender balance in SOLDIER is highly classified information? Just interest."

"Thirty three Firsts, Seventy Seconds, and A Hundred Twenty Thirds. Genesis' defection hit us hard."

"I see. Well, Red, you're just here to look pretty, but Sparkles, you'll be busy over the next few days."

"Doing what?"

"Teaching my soldiers how to kill SOLDIER 1sts."


	2. Moving Out

**Moving Out**

"This can't be!"

Crash. Spark. A black cape and silver hair, trailing behind in the long fall into pure Mako. Then, behind, gasps and blood. Something important was in Nibelheim reactor, Hojo had spared no expense with the security cameras, and live audio feed was available.

Not that he was viewing all of what had happened of course. The edits were so smooth he doubted he'd caught all of them. They'd made a mistake, though. There was no stamp from Shinra's censors. That meant the content was too confidential to show even to them.

"I'll need to show this to my squads."

The Turk raised a storm of protest, but the Major waved her down. "Are you defying an executive order to give me free reign?"

"What's your reasoning?"

"The Shinra Army has never gone up against a SOLDIER 1st before. We need to know that we can succeed. And, from this video, we can see clear evidence that the most powerful SOLDIER that ever existed can be defeated by an MP. Do you have any idea what that will do for my men's morale? We saw Sephiroth brush aside a Turk and a Soldier 1st in Nibelheim reactor, but it was the grunt, the fucking MP, who brought him down. We need this.

"Now, honey, you're going to have to make a decision. Either you stay right here, on my hip where I can see you, or you can fuck off and conduct your own hunt. I'm not having you flitting back and forth."

"I'm supposed to observe you−"

"Fine, but if you do, that's all you do. If you're staying with us, I'm requisitioning any weapons and materia you've got on you, and you're in a guarded tent at night." Guards wouldn't stop her, but it'd be awkward for the division if he reported to the Execs that she broke out.

"Are you _trying_ to make me leave?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Avalanche attack. The Turks fail to contain it. Who dies?"

"..."

" Too many of my soldiers have died in Turk led operations for me to be comfortable with you wandering in and out, messing with command structure, and them jumping in at the last second to snatch the prize. I won't allow it, no matter what."

She shifted stance. "Brave of you, threatening me. What will happen when I report it?"

"Hwahaha... the vaunted Turks. 'Tseng, the big nasty army guy was mean to me'. I doubt he'd appreciate the call. As for threats, I don't have the power to threaten you. But...I'm sure Hojo would be interested in a few more Turks to add to his collection, don't you?"

The Turk paled. Hojo was the only person within Shinra that the Administrative Research Dept. were afraid of. The Professor would quite readily ask a Turk to get him coffee, not in the slightest intimidated by the Suits... Once upon a time, a top ranked Turk called Valentine had disappeared while assigned to guard the Professor's wife, and the Department had never forgotten.

"Maggie, get in here! I need you to witness this."

The SOLDIER 1st entered the private room off the assembly hall.

"Five years ago, you remember that AVALANCHE base up North? I was detailed to that mission. A green Lieutenant at the time, got to my position on account of connections. Anyway, the Turk and SOLDIER 1st fell off the bridge, and then we got hit by AVALANCHE. We were down, but the Ravens were more concerned with the two Seconds, and some of us were still alive. Then the Turk and the SOLDIER found us. Guess what? They got the information they needed from us...and left us to die in the snow. I was doing rollcalls to keep everyone awake, so I was listening to everyone fade away. Thirty eight soldiers were alive when the Turk got to us. Thirteen walked away with all their limbs afterwards. I'll never forget the voice, telling her superiors we were wiped out.

"So, Bluecoat, try me. I fucking dare you."

Silence from the Bluecoat, though he knew better than to take that at face value.

"Time to get going, then."

000000000000000

Zack's trail was already cold. The obvious place to pick it up was Gongaga. But there were things to deal with before he left. Stepping out onto the podium before the full weight of his assembled pursuit troops, the Major gestured his SOLDIER 1ST forward, setting himself up opposite her.

"As you may know, gentlemen, SOLDIER 1sts are resilient creatures." Scattered laughter.

"They can take quite a lot of punishment." Drawing his sidearm, the Major shot 'Sparkles' in the forehead with the low calibre weapon. At ten feet. Sparkles slumped. He'd told her his intention earlier, of course. Or else he'd probably have been run through before he fired.

"You need piercer rounds to penetrate the skull. She'll wake up in five minutes with a headache. All of you are trained to target the chest. Makes sense, since it's the largest target area. But SOLDIERs wear armour, and their bodies are pretty tough too. You'll die quicker than they will.

"You are going to be assigned in squads of six each. We don't want to all be taken by a limit break, so we'll be fighting Fair six at a time. I want two targeting his head and shoulders, one targeting his chest, and two aiming for his ankles, knees, or thighs at all times A SOLDIER's greatest advantage is their agility, if we disable that, we've got a fighting chance.

"If he's not making a clear target, low swathes will work best. Try to cut his feet from under him. The most likely response will be a jump, and not even Soldiers can change their flight path in the air...most of the time. In free fall, no one can cover all the angles, so we'll be able to get in a couple of free hits in the soles of his feet before he lands. It won't be easy, pretty, or quick, but it's important to remember that _we can win, _boys. Soldiers are not immortal. I've got to go to Gongaga to pick up the trail, so I want all of you practicing hard. Low swathes and precision targeting, boys, staggered. If your target jumps, toss a grenade towards where you think he'll land, if you're lucky you'll throw him off his feet, it'll keep him from counterattacking for a couple of seconds. Most importantly, do not attack in tight formation, we don't want a limit or area effect spell tearing us all apart, got it?"

The 1ST Class Soldier raised her head. "As instructive as that was, it hurt. Fuck you."

"Sorry. I'd like to say I won't do it again, but you're going to be sparring with the entire unit over the next couple of weeks."

"...I can't wait."

"Me neither. Don't hold back, but try not to kill anyone, kay?"

"That's a contradiction."

"...You know what I meant. Turk, you're with me. I'm cutting you loose once we get to Gongaga. If you've got prep to do, go do it." They waited for the bluecoat to leave.

The SOLDIER 1st looked at him. "Are you sure it's wise to bait her?"

"Probably not. But I've got no-one they can use against me, and as a 1ST, even they can't touch you. On second thought, you can come with me to Gongaga, I'll need you to counter her word."

"What makes you think you can trust me?"

"You agreed to teach us how to fight SOLDIER. Why was that?"

"Honestly? A presidential command. I wasn't really in a position to refuse. I mean, out of our three poster boys, two defected and the third went insane. What else can I say?"

"You ever met Fair?"

"He made first before me. I've spoken to him, but we weren't, y'know, friends or anything."

"What's he like?"

"Strong sense of justice. One of those people you should hate but don't. As talented a fighter as you can find, but he followed Angeal around like a dog. Got called 'the puppy.' Or, if you didn't like him, 'lapdog'."

"Why was that?"

"Well, whenever he got in trouble, Angeal was there to help out. The rest of us didn't have that luxury."

"Comes with talent. I won't begrudge him that. ...Okay, that's enough for now. I've got to go ask Heidegger for transport for three squads of pursuit troops. Dismissed, all of you. I'm posting a list of people I want ready for travel in an hour, don't forget your bikes."

A soldier near the front looked up. "You're not bringing all of us?"

"Not yet. A bad hunter chases, a good hunter waits, and the best hunter does both. I _will _have something to show the executives in thirty days if it kills me."

Two hundred Shinra Army personnel saluted their Major, aware that it would.

* * *

**Not everything the Major says is necessarily true, but remember, this is the perspective of the Shinra army. Oh, I found out lately that Zack's fugitiveness lasts about eight months, so this is a canon break. But the thing with the snow is canon. I'm going with the original game's position of Sephiroth's fall, because that way the soldiers can see it without having a view into the inner chamber.**


End file.
